One-day chick breeders' syndicate behind skyrocketing egg, chicken price

The poultry industry in Bangladesh has succeeded to a great extent in the last three decades. The sector is now capable of fulfilling the protein requirement of the country's 170 million people, which is necessary for building a healthy nation. According to a rough estimation, about 80,000 small chicken farms are now producing eggs and broiler chicken meat throughout the country and more than 7 million people are involved with this sector directly. After the readymade garment industry, the poultry sector has become the second highest employment provider in the private sector in rural and semi-rural areas. However, the sector is now going through a difficult time mainly due to a crisis of one-day-old chicks.
Purchasing one-day chicks at an affordable price has turned into a herculean task for small poultry farm owners. Less than a dozen of corporate breeders are suppliers of one-day chicken. Maintaining a syndicate, these corporate breeders are controlling the entire sector. To buy a one-day chick, one has to spend Tk 60 now, which was Tk 15 just a few months ago. This is how the production cost of broiler chicken has increased, which has raised the price of chicken meat and eggs.
This problem should be addressed as soon as possible. If the government comes forward to provide support and low-interest loan facilities to small-scale entrepreneurs to develop at least one farm in a district to produce one-day chicks, it can help the sector to a great extent. It will not only supply one-day chicks to farmers at a reasonable price but also generate more employment.
Md Ashraf Hossain,
120, Central Bashabo, Dhaka-1224,
mah120cb@yahoo.com